How to Search Pennsylvania Recorded Documents (Start Here)

Recorded documents in Pennsylvania — deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and other land records — are filed with the Recorder of Deeds in each county.

What this page covers: Pennsylvania recorded document searches — deeds, mortgages, assignments, liens, plats, and other instruments filed in the public land records. What it does not cover: Property valuations or tax data (those are on the Property Records page).

Where to start: Go to the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the property is located. Many county recorder of deedss offer online document search by grantor/grantee name, book/page, or instrument number.

Common mistake: Recorded documents show what was filed — they do not confirm current ownership or lien status without a full title search. A deed in the index does not mean it is the most recent transfer.

Population
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Households
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Median Income
$73,824
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Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: Pennsylvania recorded documents URL verified against the official state publisher at www.dos.pa.gov on the review date. 6 primary .gov sources cited below.

Pennsylvania Recorded Documents — Key Facts (2026)

Deeds, mortgages, UCC filings, liens, military discharges in Pennsylvania — what gets recorded and where in 2026.
County
Where deeds live
Permanent record
SoS
Where UCC live
Secretary of State
Article 9
UCC governs
Secured transactions
Public
Most recorded docs
With redaction
Federal
DD-214 / IRS liens
National-level
Common recorded document types — typical volume
Deeds
100
Mortgages
95
Liens (property)
70
UCC (business)
55
Powers of attorney
25
Military DD-214
10
Unit: relative volume (deeds=100).

What Changed in 2026 — Pennsylvania Recorded Documents

2026
Pennsylvania recorded documents portal active
The official Pennsylvania portal at www.dos.pa.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for recorded documents in 2026.
2026
Latest federal complement for recorded documents
The NASS UCC Filings overview at www.nass.org provides federal-level context that complements Pennsylvania state records.
2026
Pennsylvania access in 2026
For 2026, Pennsylvania continues to publish recorded documents information through state-authorized portals; check www.dos.pa.gov for current fees and processing times.
2026
Federal records framework refresh
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE Pennsylvania's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for the .gov complement.

The 5-Type Pennsylvania Recorded Documents Map

1
Type 1 — Real property (Deeds, Mortgages)
Pennsylvania County Recorder / Register of Deeds. Permanent record.
2
Type 2 — UCC (business collateral)
Most filed with Pennsylvania Secretary of State. Some real-estate UCCs are county.
3
Type 3 — Liens (tax, mechanic's, judgment)
Property liens at the county. IRS federal tax liens may file at county OR state.
4
Type 4 — Personal documents (POA, military DD-214)
Often optional county recording in Pennsylvania for safekeeping. Originals at federal NPRC.
5
Type 5 — Maps & subdivisions
Pennsylvania county recorder; some at state mapping office.

Five Things People Get Wrong About Pennsylvania Recorded Documents

❌ Myth: "All UCC filings are at the Pennsylvania county."
✓ Truth: False. Most UCC filings (Article 9) are at the Pennsylvania Secretary of State, not county.
❌ Myth: "All liens show up in a deed search."
✓ Truth: False. Federal tax liens may file at county OR state. Judgment liens vary. Always cross-check.
❌ Myth: "Recording a deed transfers title."
✓ Truth: False. The deed transfers title when delivered. Recording gives public notice — important but different.
❌ Myth: "DD-214 is only federal."
✓ Truth: Partially false. The original is federal (NPRC), but many veterans record a copy at their Pennsylvania county for easy access.
❌ Myth: "Old Pennsylvania recorded docs are fully digitized."
✓ Truth: False. Most Pennsylvania counties only digitized records back to ~1990-2000. Older docs are paper at the courthouse.

Primary Sources (All .gov / Official)

Related Recorded Documents Resources

Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Recorded docs
Sample Pennsylvania counties: Adams · Allegheny · Armstrong · Beaver · Bedford

Recorded Documents Databases

15 official Pennsylvania recorded documents sources.

Recorded Documents

Recorder of Deeds | Butler County, PA
Official Free
Welcome to the Recorder of Deeds Office of Butler County. We are the central location for all of Butler County’s land records. Any transaction/document dealing with real estate would be recorded here.
Election Results - Centre County
Official Free
Election Results · Centre County, Pennsylvania · Results of the next election will be posted here on election day after the polls have closed · Election results remain unofficial until certified by the Board of Elections · 2020-2025 (pdf) · 2010-2019 (text File) · 2010-2019 (pdf) · 2000-2009 ...
Find a Department
Official Free
Dauphin County is one of the oldest and most influential counties in the development of our nation . Located in south central Pennsylvania, this 557.7-square-mile area is approximately 100 miles west of Philadelphia and 200 miles east of Pittsburgh.
DelawarePAROD
Official Free
This site will not function properly if IE Compatibility Mode is enabled. Please disable Compatibility Mode and refresh the page. If you do not know how to disable Compatibility Mode please submit a ticket to our support team and they will be happy to assist you. Technical Data:
Mercer County Court System
Official Free
This site includes the names, addresses and telephone numbers of our Courts, the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, Court Administration, and other Judicial Agencies throughout our court system. The Judicial Branch is dedicated to the improvement of the administration of justice.You can also ...
Montgomery County PA Recorder of Deeds - rodviewer
Official Free
Welcome! Our New Online Services provide a convenient and centralized way to search and access documents recorded in our office . We are excited about the improved, user-friendly service that we are now able to offer our constituents. We hope you find the site easy to use and navigate.
[J-64-2018] IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA MIDDLE DISTRICT
Official Free
including mortgage assignments — to be recorded in the Counties in order to provide a ... The Recorders also counter MERSCORP’s reliance on Section 623, 21 P.S. §623 · (repealed), which once provided a mortgage assignment may be recorded, for the · opposite proposition. The Recorders advise Section 623 was passed by the General · Assembly only to clarify inconsistent caselaw and reinforce the rule that mortgage · assignments fall within the scope of Pennsylvania’s recording acts and could be recorded
How to Search Our Records | Westmoreland County, PA - Official Website
Official Free
All the indexes recorded under that name will come up - 10 per page (this can be changed on the bottom left or click thru the pages). You can double click on each line, the document will pop up in separate window and you can print it, email it, or save it to your computer (the options are all ...
Chester County County - Document Search
Official Free
Search documents recorded since September 15, 1905 · Basic Advanced Document Number Doc# Separate multiple values with a space. Separate ranges with a colon. '1 3 5' will search for 1, 3, or 5 while '1:5' will search for 1 through 5. (Don't include the quotes.)
Ontario
Official Free
This site will not function properly if IE Compatibility Mode is enabled. Please disable Compatibility Mode and refresh the page. If you do not know how to disable Compatibility Mode please submit a ticket to our support team and they will be happy to assist you. Technical Data:
Electronic Recording | County of Lancaster, Office of Recorder of Deeds
Official Free
The Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds Office is pleased to offer the electronic recording of documents, also known as e-recording. Our office was one of the first in the country to e-record back in 2002, and continues to do so, with over 90% of our documents recorded electronically .
CountyFusion County Access Portal
Official Free
Berks County Recorder of Deeds mortgages, liens, deeds, and other land records.
Lackawanna County Recorder of Deeds - Self-Service
Official Free
This search site is provided as a service to our customers. All data contained herein is subject to change without notice. By using this service, in any form, the user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the County and anyone involved in storing, retrieving, or displaying this information ...
Real Property Official Records Search
Official Free
We cannot provide a description for this page right now
LANDEX Document Publishing Home Page
Official Free
WELCOME TO LANDEX WEBSTORE - A DOCUMENT PUBLISHING SERVICE · This site offers real-time access to Recorder of Deeds/Register of Wills and selected Orphans Court records for counties in Pennsylvania and New York that use LANDEX to record documents in their offices.

Pennsylvania Counties

67 Pennsylvania counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Pennsylvania, deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real-property documents are recorded at the county level by the county Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder). The Official Pennsylvania Recorded Documents at www.dos.pa.gov handles statewide filings such as UCC-1 financing statements and corporate documents.

UCC-1 financing statements covering personal property and business collateral are filed centrally with the Official Pennsylvania Recorded Documents at www.dos.pa.gov. Fixture filings on real estate are an exception — those go to the county where the property is located.

Most Pennsylvania countys publish a free online index of recorded documents (by name, document type, or date). Image access (the actual deed image) is often available either free or for a small per-page fee. Statewide UCC and corporate filings are searchable through the Official Pennsylvania Recorded Documents at www.dos.pa.gov.

Certified copies of deeds, mortgages, and other recorded documents are issued by the county Recorder where the document was originally recorded. Fees and ID requirements vary; see your specific county page below. The Official Pennsylvania Recorded Documents (www.dos.pa.gov) handles certified copies of statewide filings such as UCCs and articles of incorporation.

A deed is the recorded instrument that conveys ownership; the title is the legal concept of ownership itself. Deeds in Pennsylvania are recorded with the county Recorder; title insurance and title searches are private-sector services that examine the chain of recorded deeds. The Official Pennsylvania Recorded Documents at www.dos.pa.gov publishes the statewide rules.